Sledding Adventures
by KittySkywalker
Summary: Toga takes little Zero and Ichiru out sledding and gets more than he can handle. Inspired by VK's new bonus chapter. Fluff and humor ahead. please read and review!


Zero and Ichiru breathed in the cold crisp air as they climbed up the tall snow covered hill. Their Master Toga Yagari had promised he would play in the snow with them and the moment his truck had pulled up to their front yard they had rushed out to greet him. He was more like an uncle to them at the young age of seven and his gruffness with them was his own way of showing affection. They had managed to persuade him to go sledding with them and he followed along at his own pace watching both silver haired boys trudge up the quiet clean hill.

It was damn cold out that was all he had to say as he blew into his hands. What he would give for a cigarette but he'd sworn to their mother that he wouldn't ever let the boys see him smoking. Even walking at a slow pace Toga's long legs caught him up to the boys in only a few strides. They were both young and got tired easily so they stood there catching their breath while little Ichiru coughed some. Toga patted the youngest twins head and asked, "You okay kiddo?"

Ichiru smiled up at him and nodded enthusiastically. Ichiru had always been sickly and even though these boys were not his sons Toga still worried about them. Zero looked completely exhausted as he had been pulling up their sled. Toga sighed softly and said, "This is what happens when you pick a really big hill to climb."

Zero and Ichiru shared a guilty looked at each other and then at the snow surrounding their feet. "But we're almost at the top. If you want I'll help you up," he continued smiling.

Zero and Ichiru both latched onto a side of his coat and he hefted the sled onto his shoulder before starting at a steady pace up the hill. The twins seemed to have an easier time that way but it was Toga who faced the problems then. He had been a smoker long enough that it was getting hard to breathe, and the weight of the sled and the boys unintentionally pulling him backwards had him worried.

They were just about ten feet away from the top of the hill when he felt two heavy tugs on his coat. He peeked behind him and saw the boys were trying to pull themselves up but they unfortunately wound up pulling Toga down instead. Having lost his balance for a precious second on the steep slope Toga found himself tumbling back down the hill white powder completely obscuring his vision. He landed at the bottom on his back with a thud and his first thought was whether the boys were alright or not.

He looked around him and didn't see them anywhere and shooting a glance back up at the hill he saw the sled about halfway up. He also saw Zero and Ichiru in the exact same place as they had been but he heard the inevitable sound of their laughter ringing through the winter air. After all he-Toga Yagari- had just fallen down a snow covered hill. Speaking of snow covered he was pretty sure some snow had gotten inside his clothes because he was about twice as cold now.

He shot the boys a mock annoyed glance and called out, "This is that time I take you brats sledding!"

Zero and Ichiru laughed some more and Toga got up trying to brush the powder off him when something made his spine tingle. He had a feeling something very bad was going to happen and he realized that the boys must have been planning to try and roll down the hill like he had. But they were still so small that it could seriously hurt them.  
"Boys!" he cried, "Don't you even think about it! Zero Ichiru don't!" they were both content to not listen to him and they both plopped down and started rolling. Yet the sled halfway down the hill was right in little Zero's way and Toga's adrenaline shot through his veins forcing him to bolt up the hill and catch one young hunter in each arm effectively keeping them safe. The twins were rather bummed that their fun had been stopped by a pair of strong arms but they saw the anger dwelling in their Master's eyes and thought better of complaining.

"Right," Toga said matter-of-factly, "we're going home." He grabbed Zero and Ichiru by the collars and led them down the hill to his pickup truck while they began the long and quiet trip back to the house.

_Later…_

The boys' mother opened the door to see a cold and annoyed Toga along with her timid sons at his sides. She shouldn't help but smile and she said, "I see they gave you a run for your money."

"You could say that," Toga said briskly.

She ushered her sons into the warmth of the house and told them to go find their father. The boys were sure that they were going to get in trouble but when their mom was home things went pretty well. She also tugged Toga into the house asking if he wanted to change. He shook his head even though he was dying to get out of his snow filled pants. Kiryu came down the stairs with his boys in tow and gave Toga a sympathetic smile.  
"Can we have you for dinner to pay you back for today?" it was obvious he was trying to not laugh.

"You mean eat with those two?" Toga asked indicating the young twins, "Not a chance in hell. They'll probably through their food at me." Both parents gave in and chuckled but the boys at the bottom of the staircase were looking guiltier and guiltier. Toga took pity on them however and said, "But you brats know that I love you, don't you?"

Their mother smiled warmly and they both slowly walked foreword in front of Toga.  
"We're sorry for getting you covered in snow Master," Ichiru apologized.

"Will you stay with us?" Zero asked hopefully.

Toga rolled his eyes at all four people looking at him expectantly and nodded. The twins smiled widely and before any one of the adults could even protest they were dragging Toga up the stairs to their room. He'd been there many times before but somehow the room seemed smaller each time he went in it. Maybe it was because the boys were growing.

Zero had Toga take a seat on his bed and both hunters started showing their Master different things they had been working on along with good test scores and drawing they had recently done. Toga had to stifle a yawn as the pale lamplight made him even more tired.

Just in time however Kiryu knocked on the door placing some extra dry clothes on the dresser for Toga telling him there was a storm coming so he could spend the night if he wanted. Toga agreed and Kiryu slyly said, "Maybe if you're extra nice to him Master Yagari will read you a story before your nap…" both the twins brightened and Toga shot his long time friend a half-hearted glare before taking a look at the book they proffered.  
Toga quickly changed in the bathroom so he wouldn't get sick and settled down onto one of the twins' bed. The boys took a place to rest on either side of him waiting to hear the next part of the story. But with all the energy they had expended and the soothing tones of Toga's deep voice both Zero and Ichiru dozed off leaving Toga to his own thoughts. With both their heads on his chest he really wasn't in a place where he could move let alone leave so he decided he would close his eyes for a minute as well. But his own fatigue got the better of him and Toga slipped into a deep sleep that no one bothered to wake him from until the next morning.

By that time of course he had a pounding headache and a god awful neck ache. Toga sighed as he tried to work the knots out of his muscles and he couldn't help but think, "_These people will be my ruin_."

But he wasn't going to complain because he saw two pairs of shining lilac eyes watching him and even if the world was ending it wouldn't have mattered at all.

The End.


End file.
